


fall in two

by insunshine



Category: The OC, Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-11
Updated: 2007-01-11
Packaged: 2017-11-13 03:51:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insunshine/pseuds/insunshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wallace and Anna are going strong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	fall in two

It’s not like they _planned_ it.

 

Well, Okay, there was _some_ planning involved, because there were candles, and because Mazzy Star was playing softly in the background, and because he brought flowers, and she wasn’t wearing her usual nighttime gear of boxers and a tank top, but a real, honest-to-god, _nightie_ (that her grandma Marie bought her last Christmas, because she was going to college and becoming a _woman_ ).

 

And when she opened her door, he was standing there with a very poorly hidden bottle of wine and a smile, and she kissed him, but not because it was part of the plan, because they’d talked about it, and they were going to wind down first and _relax_ , because this was a huge step they were taking and it had to be handled with care.

 

But he looked so handsome (later she wouldn’t tell him that, or that she actually loved the way that the really bad, fluorescent lighting in the hallway glinted off his skin) that she couldn’t help herself.

 

And when they were backed up against the foot of her bed (thank god she had the foresight to get a single), and his fingers were tripping over her skin, and under her complicated knotted straps, he didn’t stop and ask if it was Okay like he’d said he would. And she didn’t care. She just closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around his neck and got the fireworks she hadn’t been expecting, because she’d never had fireworks before.

 

It was only afterwards, when they were lying in the afterglow, when his arms were limp around her waist, and she was still staving off the after effects, and her head was nestled against the crook of his neck, that they realized.

 

_Anna, I’m sorry I-_

 

His hands were warm against her back, but she was shaking, and she pulled away, because this could not be happening, and because she’d never done anything this stupid before, and it was _scary_.

 

 _You got tested, right?_ She asked, shivering as she looked at him over her shoulder, and her voice was softer than he’d ever heard it. _Because if you didn’t, I don’t know what we’re-_

 

_Yeah, yeah I did._

 

She didn’t want to start crying, because that would just be ridiculous, and this was Wallace, not some random guy she’d picked up off the street, and they’d been together for five months, and it wasn’t like-

 

_God, I’m such a mess. I’m sorry I ruined your night I didn’t mean to, I-_

 

 _Anna;_ his voice was soft too, and he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her shoulder. _You didn’t ruin anything._

 

_It was just-and I didn’t-we just got caught up in the moment, but I should have stopped you, or said something, but I didn’t even realize-_

 

_Anna, it’ll be Okay._

 

His smile was sweet as he looked into her eyes, and tried, really, really hard to believe him.

 

**

 

It was raining, but she couldn’t feel it. It hadn’t been raining when she’d gone into the convenience store, but that had been hours ago, and it wasn’t as if the sun had been shining or anything. It had been overcast. 

 

Much like her life, at the moment.

 

_Anna?_

 

 _Oh, Veronica. Hey;_ she waved her arm limply, and Wallace’s friend looked at her like she was crazy, which, to be honest, was very likely the truth. At least with all this rain crashing down on her face it wasn’t obvious that she was crying.

 

 _Are you Okay?_ It was on the tip of her tongue to tell her, to just spill it all out so it wouldn’t be bottled up inside of her anymore, but she just…couldn’t. This was not something she could very well tell to the best friend of the _father of her baby._

 

Baby. _God._

 

_Yeah, you know. It’s finals week, so I’m a little spazzed out, but yeah. And…you?_

 

_I’m fine. Hey look, do you want a ride? You look like you’re getting pretty soaked._

 

 _No, no, I’m good. I’m almost um, at my car. I have my car, so you driving me somewhere would be pretty pointless, because I wouldn’t have a way to get_ back _to my car, and I kind of-I’m sorry, I’m babbling. It’s just been a really stressful day._

 

_Oh, Okay._

 

Veronica sounded slightly put off, and in that far off corner of her mind where friendship and life, and _Wallace_ mattered, Anna cared, of course she cared, but at the moment, all she could handle was putting one foot in front of the other and trying not to fall. Adding breathing to the mix had been almost impossible.

 

 _I’ll see you later, Veronica;_ she murmured softly, even though she was pretty sure that the other girl wasn’t listening anymore. 

 

By the time she’d reached her car, she’d mustered some sort of righteous indignation over the whole thing, who was Veronica anyway, asking so many questions, and how was it any of her business? Until she realized that Veronica had waited for her to get into her car before speeding off.

 

Which was really very sweet, actually.

 

**

 

 _Wallace, there’s something I have to tell you. No. God it sounds like I’m breaking up with him. Wallace, we have a really big decision to make together that is more important than who has to replenish the Pop Tarts in the morning. No._ Fuck. _Hey Wallace, want to come with me while I get a potentially dangerous medical procedure done that I’d always supported but never actually thought I would have to do myself?_

 

Anna sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror. If she couldn’t get it down with someone who wouldn’t answer back, she couldn’t even begin to imagine how she was going to do it in front of the _actual_ Wallace.

 

_Hey Wallace, guess what? I’m gonna have a surprise for you in 7 and a half months!_

 

_Really? Cool! What is it?_

 

 _Oh god;_ she whispered to herself, looking down at her hands, because she was the world’s worst liar, and he would know right away that someone was wrong. _Nothing;_ she whispered, closing her eyes, even as the tears were coming.

 

_Anna, come on, you’re starting to scare me. What’s wrong?_

 

_You’re not-it’s not a good thing, Wallace. You aren’t going to be happy._

 

_Try me._

 

_And it’s not-I don’t-I don’t even know what I’m going to do yet, but, I don’t want anything from you._

 

His eyes darkened, and she knew she’d said exactly the wrong thing.

 

 _What do you mean?_ Even though his voice was light and bright and easy, his fists were clenched; she could see them, and it made her stomach knot up, because, they should have been talking summer plans, and talking about where they wanted to split their weekends, and if he wanted to come back to Pittsburg with her to meet her mom, and how excited they were that they were done with yet another year at Hearst; not _babies._ Not at _19_. 

 

_I’m pregnant._

 

**

 

Which brings them to the here and now:

 

 _Oh my god, Ryan Atwood, is that you?_ Ryan’s ears perk, because he knows that voice. It’s unmistakable, but when he turns around-slow like, so it doesn’t really seem like he’s spinning, she isn’t there. There’s an old woman, and a pregnant girl, and a lady with a dog, that if he remembers correctly, Anna was allergic to, and-

 

 _Anna?_ He calls out, because the pregnant girl is heading towards him with a smile, and it’s her. It’s Anna Stern. _God. Wow, you look-_

 

 _Pregnant?_ She laughs, and even with the slightly protruding stomach, it’s still her. Still Anna. She even looks exactly the same, even though she’s let her hair grow out a little, and there are fading purple streaks mixed in with the blonde ones.

 

_I was going to say…nice, but that works too._

 

She smiles again, and it’s light, and she looks really happy to see him. It’s surprising, but he’s really glad to see her too.

 

 _Can I help you with something?_ He asks, and he’s gesturing to the small mountain of stuff that’s accumulated next to her. She shrugs, and he looks at her hands for a wedding or engagement ring or something, but they’re free and empty, and it guts him low in his stomach, because she’s a nice girl, and she shouldn’t be _abandoned_ like that.

 

_No, I’m good, my-Wallace!_

 

 _Your Wallace?_ He asks, even though he knows she was calling to someone, because her hands are raised over her head, and she’s motioning something.

 

_Yes. They’re really so handy to have around. And they’re so cheap to buy, you can just-_

 

She laughs as the guy she’d been pointing to, comes around and grabs her, nuzzling her neck from behind.

 

_Fit them in your purse!_

 

Ryan looks down and away a little, because he’s never been good with other people’s PDA, especially considering he’s spent so much time with Seth and Summer and he’s seen it all.

 

_God, where are my manners? Ryan this is-_

 

She’s smiling bright at Ryan and Wallace rolls his eyes.

 

_You lost them when you got knocked up._

 

 _And to a_ black _no less._

 

 _It’s a scandal;_ he says to Ryan, and his tone is matter-of-fact, but his eyes are smiling, and so Ryan smiles back, because he seems nice. And even though he’s been around the Cohens for so long, he knows that not all people are that inherently good. _I’m Wallace by the way. The slightly larger than normal, model._

 

_Ah. I’m Ryan._

 

He leans forward to shake, when Wallace says, _Ryan Atwood?_

 

 _Uh, yes?_

 

The _Ryan Atwood?_

 

There’s an awkward moment of silence and Ryan isn’t really sure if he should say yes again, or if the guy is joking, but then he smiles again, and it’s one of those that’s instantly warming. Which is exactly what he’d always thought of Anna’s. He can clearly see that they’re very good together.

 

_I’m just playing man, I heard Anna say hi to you._

 

_Oh, oh yeah, sure. No worries._

 

_Okay, good. It was nice to meet you. Babe, I’m gonna run half of this to the car. Will you do me a favor and promise me something?_

 

_Have your babies? Sure! Oh, wait._

 

_Don’t go getting cozy with strange men again. You know how suspicious I get._

 

She laughs and swats him away, and instead of taking half, he takes most of it, and Anna rolls her eyes, even though she’s clearly happy. When his back is to them though, and he’s almost out of sight, the light goes out of her eyes.

 

_Are you Okay?_

 

 _Oh yeah, fine;_ she responds, and she turns back to tidying the remaining pile of books on the ground. She settles there after a moment, leaning back against the wood of the wall and closes her eyes. Her hand is resting on her belly.

 

_I may not have seen you in a while, but I can clearly see a look of consternation. My, uh, my girlfriend gets it all the time._

 

Her eyes pop open and she smiles at him softly.

 

 _Are you still seeing Marissa?_ She asks, and his blood runs cold. His face must have contorted in some way too, because the look in her eyes is horrified. _Oh my god, Ryan! I am so sorry-I didn’t mean, god, my mouth likes to run away from me, these days. It’s none of my business._

 

_No, it’s not that, just…Marissa, she uh…she passed away last year._

 

Her hand covers her mouth, and tears start slipping down her cheeks, and she looks so _sad_. He’s not surprised though; Anna has always been kind, he’s not surprised that that hasn’t changed.

 

_God, I am such an idiot. And you’re dating someone new, and you look happy, and I can’t believe I brought it up._

 

She’s starting to cry harder now, and her hands are tight against her eyes, trying to keep it all in, and he puts an arm around her shoulder because he isn’t quite sure what else he could possibly do.

 

_I messed up. I messed up so bad, and I just-I don’t know what I’m going to do._

 

Ryan is not dumb enough to still think this is about him and Marissa.

 

_Wallace seems like a really good guy._

 

 _He is;_ she mutters, wiping away at her eyes, even though as soon as she does so a fresh wave of tears come crashing down. _He is the greatest guy, but I just-and I mean, I want to go to college. I want to draw my own graphic novel one day-_

 

_Like Seth._

 

_Like Seth! And I want to go back to Tahiti. And I want to see the whole world! And I don’t want to have a baby, right now! I don’t know if I want one ever, but now? I’m going to be a junior in college in a month! What the hell am I going to do with a baby now? And Wallace, Wallace handled all this so much better than me, and he was so calm and cool, and he loves me, he said so, and he wants this to work so bad, and I just-_

 

She’s not looking up anymore, so she doesn’t see Wallace, and she misses the look of pain in his eyes, and the way his lips have parted.

 

 _Anna;_ he says, but he’s taken a step back, so he’s further away, so that she doesn’t know that he’s heard her, and her head is up like a shot, and her face crumples when she sees him, because she loves him too. _Oh my god, Anna, are you Okay?_

 

 _Yeah;_ she says, and he helps her up, with one hand holding onto her arm and the other resting at the small of her back. _I’m fine._

 

She wipes at her eyes, and shakes her head for good measure.

 

_I’m a pregnant lady. We have insane hormonal issues._

 

She smiles at Ryan softly over her shoulder, apologizing as best she can without actually saying the words.

 

_Plus, god, Ryan just told me some awful news about a girl we used to know._

 

 _Why don’t we get you to the car, and then I’ll come back and pick up the rest of these?_ Wallace asks, and he’s already steering her towards the door. 

 

 _I can help;_ Ryan says, even though he did promise Taylor he’d be back in less than an hour. _Why don’t I grab these now, so you don’t have to make another trip back in?_

 

Wallace nods at him once, his arms wrapped around Anna’s shoulders.

 

_Thanks._


End file.
